Dermot Considine

Dermot Considine (1891-1969) was leader of Sinn Fein and Tanaiste of Ireland from 1946 to 1949, preceding Teague McShane.

Biography
Dermot Considine was born in Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland in 1891, and he was active in the Irish Republican Brotherhood, Sinn Fein, and the Irish Republican Army during the early 20th century. During the Irish Civil War, he supported the pro-treaty side under Michael Collins, and he was elected a Sinn Fein TD in 1925. Considine was an aggressive supporter of Irish republicanism, supporting physical force republicanism in Northern Ireland and a strong Irish military. During World War II, he supported Ireland's alliance with the Axis Powers against Britain, although such a move never occurred.

In 1946, Considine became both leader of Sinn Fein and Tanaiste of Ireland, as Taoiseach George Fahey was obligated to reward Sinn Fein's alliance with Fine Gael. Considine presided over his party's large polling numbers in County Dublin during the 1946 snap election, turning the extremist Sinn Fein into the second party in the county. However, his party performed poorly in the 1949 snap election, receiving 10% less of the vote than it did in 1946. The ageing Considine lost the confidence of his party leadership, and he was succeeded by his handpicked successor, Teague McShane. He died in 1969.